Of Scissors and Replicas
by Digital-Dragon-Master
Summary: Oneshot. Before heading back up the the Outer Lands, Tear had a little something she had to fix... LukexTear. Akzeruith spoilers. Rated T for Luke's mind...


A/N: My first venture into the Tales of the Abyss fandom! Heck, my first venture into any Tales fandom! That's right, I'm leaping onto the band wagon and saying 'screw waiting for a section'!

I've been thinking about writing this story for a few days and now I just need to type it out. I know all my other fans are thinking 'when's she going to finish Half-Breed/What is Christmas Spirit, Anyway?', but I promise I'm just uploading this and then working on my Christmas fic and Gundam SEED fic again. I just … It seems we Abyssians are getting the short end of the stick here, considering we have more than fifty fanfics (I'm taking a rough estimate) and yet we still have no place to upload them. That, and LukexTear is the cutest thing in the history of ever (that is my phrase and no one can steal it! Nya!).

So, sit back and enjoy. I thank sasunaru28 of youtube . com for the unexpected inspiration for this fic. Just one comment in the cut-scene where Luke cut his hair was all I needed… And for the purposes of this story, I assume it takes a tad longer to get to the main building in Yulia City.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss (the greatest video game ever) in any way, shape, or form. If I did, it would've gotten better advertising, which would've led to a larger budget, meaning skits, and then all forms of manga would've been translated. See, my delusional fantasy world is fun!

Spoilers: Spoilers for everything up to/a little passed the anime cut-scene with Luke and Tear in Yulia City. Don't know what I'm talking about? Then leave.

* * *

**Of Scissors and Replicas**

By Digital-Dragon-Master ("Digi-Dragon")

Luke didn't know how wind could blow in the Qliphoth, but it was sure bugging him. He shivered unconsciously as it somehow slipped passed his collar and tickled the back of his neck. His long hair had been cut away less than a minute ago and he was already feeling weird without it. How long did it take that stuff to grow back, anyway? It wasn't like he missed it, it was just … different. Unlike most people, he couldn't remember when his hair was this short. When he'd been (he almost shuddered at the next thought) born, his hair was already shoulder length, and he never felt a need to cut it. Now, with more than half of it gone, even his back felt a little chilly compared to how it was before.

But Luke didn't regret cutting it. After all, he was saying good bye to his former ignorant, selfish self; this was just a way of putting that into tangible form. Okay, so cutting away his long hair didn't mean he'd changed, but it helped him to convince Tear he was serious, so it was a start, right? … Well, he hoped it did. For some reason, he really wanted her, of all people, to take him seriously. Maybe it was because she sort of started this whole journey, so he had her to thank for it? No, no, that wasn't it. Something like that, but…

Luke shrugged the thoughts away. He had to focus on the here and now. St. Binah could easily become another Akzeriuth any minute… He took in his surrounds for a moment. The garden of Selenias he was walking through sure was pretty. They seemed to make up for the lack of a moon.

Tear's detached voice "Are you coming?" Luke blinked and realized he'd stopped walking.

"Y-yeah," Luke nodded, following her inside the house where he'd been resting earlier.

As soon as he walked inside, his vision was filled with blue-green fur and over-sized grey eyes. The creature they were attached to was bouncing up and down to try and see eye-to-eye with him.

"Master! What happened to your hair?!" The shrill voice belonging to the fur and eyes cried.

The swordsman almost flinched at the voice. He would never get used to how high-pitched and annoying it sounded.

"I just thought there was need for a change," he responded with an almost-too-casual shrug. He snatched the creature, Mieu, out of the air and set him down on the ground, making sure he didn't start jumping again. "Anyway, we're headed to see the town mayor now, so- what?" Luke broke off when he saw Mieu looking up in wonder at him.

Mieu spun around on the spot. "Mieuuuuu!" He trilled in excitement. "Master was really, really nice to me!"

Luke flushed and for a brief second glanced at Tear, who was observing the scene silently from the staircase. He could've sworn he say an amused glint in her eyes. "H-hey! Don't get used to it, _Thing_!" He deliberately added his sort-of-nickname for the creature, even though he was starting to think it was a little mean. A little voice inside his head also reminded him that changing for the better meant being nicer to Mieu, which he could handle… He thought.

The Cheagle stopped his spinning and frowning, drooping his giant ears. "Mieuuuuu…"

"N-now c'mon!" Luke pushed passed Tear, trying to hide his pink cheeks. _Stupid little thing…_ Why was he so embarrassed whenever anyone said he was nice? It was a rather annoying habit.

He realized it would probably be best if Tear led the way, considering the only bit of Yulia City he knew was seen through Asch's eyes, so stood at the bottom of the stairs and waited for her to take the lead when she and Mieu came down. Instead of continuing, however, Tear stopped and stared in what seemed like deep concentration at Luke's newly cut hair. Luke tried not to think of it and waited for her to stop, but as the seconds seemed to drag on…

"Um… Tear…? Why are you…?" He would _not_ finish that question. He refused.

Tear abruptly started walking again, though Luke was sure he could see a small hint of red on her face. "… It's nothing, let's go."

Luke followed her with Mieu trailing behind. Yulia City sure was an interesting place. All sorts of unfamiliar Fon Machines made up buildings and objects of all shapes and sizes. He made a mental note to ask Tear about them later. He focused on her instead of the buildings for a moment, taking in her flowing hair and slender form. He didn't let his eyes wonder to … certain places, but … he had to admit … she was quite … pretty.

Maybe it was his lack of hair obstructing his ears, but Luke noticed he could hear passersby a lot better now. Or, at least when their conversations seemed to involve him.

"… 's that?"

"… looks familiar, that's for s…"

"… haven't seen hi…"

"… someone like him just…"

Luke shook his head awkwardly, trying to block out their prying voices. One conversation, however, he couldn't help but hear. A group of three men not even ten years older than Luke himself were hanging around a small path that split off from the main walkway of Yulia City. Their eyes bore into him uncomfortably.

"Isn't that the guy who went to the surface with that group of Akzeriuth survivors?" Asked one with shaggy black hair.

"Nah, he looks different," replied a pony-tailed green-head. "Maybe their brothers?"

The last one, a short-haired brunette snorted. "Not even twins look that much alike."

"… You think he's that replica that's in the city?" Black-hair asked in hurried tone.

"I wouldn't doubt it." Short-hair replied with a slight sneer. "I mean, it's supposed to be staying with Tear, right?"

Luke flinched._ …_ _'It'…_

"Yeah…" Pony-tail nodded, studying Luke. "What do you think it's doing out here?"

Short-hair shrugged. "Dunno, but I wish it would go back to where it came from… The last thing we need is a replica messing around down here."

"Yeah," Pony-tail agreed, "And getting Tear involved in its troubles. A nice girl like her shouldn't be hanging around with something like that."

A part of Luke's mind did a double-take at that last statement. _'Nice'? Are we talking about the same Tear?_ Still, he stayed silent.

Black-hair tried to shush the other two. "Quiet! You know that not everyone down hear thinks like we do!"

"Well, they should!" Pony-tail stated defiantly. "Replicas aren't supposed to be in this world; they aren't in the Score!"

Luke was aware that he was walking at a slower pace, and part of him wanted to just leave the three behind, but he just couldn't. It didn't help that the group had started to walk too. Maybe they wanted him to hear…?

Short-hair nodded. "The last thing we need is some replica going around and messing up the Score, ruining the chance at prosperity."

Black-hair glanced at Luke, almost as if he knew he was watching them. "You think it can hear us?"

"Why should we care?" Short-hair grunted.

"Yeah, it's not like it actually has feelings." Pony-tail added.

Luke had it. He looked away from the small group, focusing on the ground in front of him. Was this how he was going to be treated when people discovered he was a replica? Sure, he was just a replacement, but he still could feel…

Black-hair chuckled. "You know what? I bet-" And he stopped cold. Neither Short-hair nor Pony-tail said anything either. They were suddenly silent.

Luke lifted his head, but before he could turn to see what happened to make them stop, Tear's piercing blue eyes met his own. Something was different about them, though. Instead of their usual forced-blank look, he could see a hint of … anger?

Tear unexpectedly grabbed his right arm and pulled him along, making him almost stumble. "Move faster. St. Binah is in danger, remember?" Her tone was quick and snappish, almost as if he had done something wrong.

Luke opened his mouth to respond, but found his throat choked with disbelief. Where did she get off saying that? _Pretty or not, she's still cold, _he grumbled inwardly as they walked into the building where Teodoro's office was located.

* * *

"Master, are you okay?" Mieu asked Luke as the group left Teodoro's building about ten minutes later.

"F-fine! Let's just get a move on, okay?" Luke pushed forward, leading the way back to the house they were at previous- _Tear's _house.

He could feel Tear's questioning eyes staring at his back, yet he refused to turn around and look at her, because if he did, he would remember where he had been sleeping only half an hour before, which would lead to him seeing images of himself in her bed … and maybe images of _her_ in her bed … and maybe …

_AHH! Stop thinking like that!_ Luke shook his head wildly to remove the image that had rooted itself in his mind, ignoring the weird looks he was getting from Tear, Mieu, and the people of Yulia City.

"… Luke…?" Tear started to form a question, but apparently decided against it.

_Good,_ Luke nodded. He didn't want to say anything about the sight in his head…

"Look at the replica," sneered a voice from Luke's right. He glanced to the source and almost groaned to see Short-hair and his gang. "It's so weird."

Black-hair laughed harshly. "It probably can't help it. I mean, it _is_ a replica…"

Luke kept walking, trying to tune them out.

"You think it even realizes how much it's not wanted?" Pony-tail's voice was just as close as the others, despite Luke's attempt to put distance between himself and the group. "I mean, I hear the original was kidnapped and then that thing just came and stole his life. How can it live with itself?"

_Are they … following me?_ Luke was tempted to look over at them, but decided against it. His mother had told him when he was younger that he should ignore bullies because they feed on attention. Of course, he didn't think that would completely work in this situation.

Black-hair snorted. "It's a replica, remember? It doesn't feel, it just does what it's programmed to."

"I wonder if it could be reprogrammed," Short-hair mused mockingly. "Maybe someone could make it take a hint and just-"

Again, they all stopped suddenly. Luke was able to look back at them this time and noticed they seemed … frightened?

That was all he saw, though, because Tear suddenly walked passed him, grabbing his arm as she did, and half-dragged him away.

"Master! Tear! Wait for me!" Mieu cried, waddling after the two.

Luke couldn't help but stare at Tear. _What was that about…?_

* * *

"We ready to get going?" Luke asked Tear and Mieu as they stood on the ground level of Tear's house.

Mieu, who was standing on the table, nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Master!"

Tear, however, was silent. She was once again staring at Luke's hair, which was starting to make him feel a little awkward.

"… Um…" Luke started uneasily as Tear came closer.

"Let me fix your hair." It seemed more like a command than a request.

"Uh… What?" Luke stammered. "Could you… say that again?"

"Let me fix your hair," she repeated. "You did a good job, but … You can't go back up to the Outer Lands with it looking like _that_."

Luke was just about ready to protest, but stopped himself and settled on a grunt and a nod. Tear took a knife from a side pocket of her uniform and withdrew a knife from the nearby desk. As she walked behind him, Luke could've sworn he saw a small smile on her face.

"Stand still and this won't take long," Tear promised.

He didn't say anything, but acknowledged her with a small "Hm," and she began.

For a split-second, Luke wondered how Tear knew how to cut hair, but a soft hand on his neck drove all rational thoughts from his mind. It moved with the sounds of the scissors and the feel of the knife, gripping small chunks of uneven hair and steadying the hand doing the cutting. His skin tingled at the feeling, making him blush and gulp. Who knew a solider could have such soft hands?

The only sounds heard were the hypnotizing _shink_ of the scissors and the rhythmic breathing of the three in the room, yet Luke strangely couldn't care less. His mind kept wondering back to the hand he would periodically feel moving on his head or neck. It was so smooth and gentle that Luke almost forgot who it belonged to. Almost. He wondered if the rest of her felt that way as well … if he could feel her hands in other places as well…

Luke's face turned bright red and Mieu tilted his head in confusion. _Where the hell did that come from?!_ Okay, so Tear looked pretty; that didn't mean he wanted anything _else_ to happen!

"Master…?" Mieu asked in a confused tone. Luke was dimly aware that he could not hear the _shink_ anymore, nor could he feel Tear's hand.

"I-I was just wondering how much longer this would take!" Luke lied. "It seems like we've been waiting here forever!"

"But Master, it's only been ten minutes!" Mieu reminded.

"Qu-quiet!" Luke hissed.

"I'll be finished soon," Tear replied in an even voice. "But you need to sit down." Once again, it sounded more like a command than a request.

"Wh-why?" Luke asked.

"Because, I can't reach the top of your head easily if you don't." She explained.

Luke obliged, sitting in the nearest chair. He glanced up to see Tear using the knife instead of the scissors. From what he could tell, she'd just used the knife to cut off larger pieces of hair and the scissors had been the main tool. He almost cringed. _I guess I didn't do that great of a job up there, then…_

As if she heard his inner thoughts, Tear told him, "Don't worry about it. … Cutting hair is harder than it looks."

"I never said I was-" Luke began.

"I know." Tear didn't say anything more, which left Luke annoyed.

He could hear her mumble short phrases to herself, like, "no, that needs to be shorter," or, "that wouldn't look right". Try as he might, Luke just couldn't hold back his curious question.

"Tear?" A small "hm?" answered him. "How did you learn how to cut hair?"

"… Van taught me. He … he learned from our mother." She was silent for a moment. "I wanted to learn to help out one of the little girls in town. She wanted a hair cut but in Yulia City there's only one barber shop and everything was all filled up, so … I decided to help out, I guess."

Luke glanced up at her to see a small hint of pink on her cheeks. Was she … blushing? He was about to say something when Tear pulled him to his feet.

"I'm almost done." She told him as the color in her cheeks faded back to normal. "I just need to do something about the hair in front."

She stood in front of him and studied his long bangs carefully, running her fingers down them separately. As she did this, Luke couldn't help but think back to what she'd just told him. _That's really … nice…_

Tear took the knife and with two even slices cut the bangs on a slight slant so they just reached the bottom of his neck. She straightened up and looked him straight at him, a hint of pride shining in her usually expressionless eyes.

"Finished." She stored the knife in its usual pocket and placed the scissors back in the desk. She returned to him and handed off a small hand mirror. "… What do you think?"

Luke studied his appearance in the mirror, tilting it to try and see all possible angles. He'd have to find another was to view the back, but from what he could see, she did a really good job. He now knew why she insisted on fixing his hair; he would've been laughed off the Outer Lands and into the Qliphoth if he had shown his face with the job he did.

"W-wow…" He stuttered. "It's great! Thanks!"

Tear was taken aback for a moment at Luke's gratitude, but then her mouth curved into a small smile. "Your welcome. I'm glad I could help."

Mieu's soft giggles made Luke turn his attention to the sacred beast. "What're you laughing about, Thing?"

"N-nothing, Master!" Mieu squeaked in response.

"Good…" Why did he get the feeling he missed something?

"Well, then, shall we be going?" Tear's question reminded Luke of the task ahead of them. It wasn't going to be easy… He half-hoped the others would come back and help, but he didn't think there was much of a chance of that happening.

Luke nodded and let Tear lead the way.

* * *

As they walked down the streets of Yulia City, Luke couldn't help but touch the ends of his new hair. It not only looked good, it felt good. He decided he liked it short. Maybe when it started to grow long again, he could get Tear to cut it for him again.

Of course, his happy musings had to be interrupted by his least favorite people in Yulia City.

"That replica's still hanging around with Tear," Pony-tail grumbled.

"When's it going to get the hint that no one wants it around?" Black-hair added.

"The sooner it goes back to the Outer Lands, the better," Short-hair agreed. "I hope it finds some strong monsters and just saves the good people of the Score the trouble."

Luke flinched. They seemed to be getting worse.

"And why's Tear still hanging around that thing, anyway?" Black-hair asked the other two. "She's got more sense than that!"

"It's probably making things tough for her," Pony-tail sneered. "Did you hear she had to travel with that thing for weeks on end?"

"If I were her, I would've gotten rid of it a long time ago." Short-hair jabbed.

The swordsman tired to ignore them, but they had a point… He did often make things hard for the people around him… And if it wasn't for him, the people of Akzeriuth would've still been alive. Maybe those three were right…

Luke didn't realize Tear had stopped until he bumped into her back. He got his balance and tilted his head in confusion.

"Tear?" Mieu asked. "Why'd you stop?"

Not response.

"…Tear?" Luke leaned to the side, trying to get a good look at her face.

Before he could see anything, she turned on heel and sauntered over to the group of three. They backed away slowly at the anger in her eyes. She stopped a foot away and, even though she was shorter, seemed to tower over them.

"H-hello, Tear," Black-hair's voice shook with fake cheeriness. Her harsh glare shut him up.

"Don't talk about things you don't know anything about," Her quiet voice seemed to cut like a knife. "And don't talk about who I travel with like you actually understand the situation." The three gulped. "If I find out you've been speaking nonsense like this again, I'll do much more than glare at you, got it?"

"Y-yes, ma'am!" They replied.

"Good." With one more pointed look, they dashed away. Tear sighed and returned to Luke and Mieu, who stood absolutely flabbergasted. "Sorry you two had to see that."

"Tear… Wow…" Mieu's eyes were wide.

"…Tear… That was… I can't … How did you…?" Luke couldn't seem to make the right words form in his throat.

Tear waved his questions away with a short answer. "I have a bit of a reputation."

"Remind me never to get you angry again…" Luke mused aloud. She seemed a lot scarier now, but a lot cooler, too.

Tear smirked lightly. "Noted." Her gaze turned firm. "And you don't let people walk all over you like that. When you said you were going to change, I didn't think you meant you were going to lose all your nerve and let people talk trash about you."

"I-I didn't!" Luke stumbled over his words again. "I-I was just…" Tear raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation. Luke sighed when he realized he had none. "Right… I won't. Sorry."

Tear's gaze softened. "Good. You shouldn't have me rescuing you all the time." Before Luke could protest, she started walking again. "Come on, we have a lot of work to do."

Mieu giggled again and rushed after Tear, leaving his master to stand there for a second. Luke ran over the earlier events with the three men in his mind, remembering each time they shut their mouths as fast as they could, and each time Tear seemed quite angry. He thought it had been at him, but…

He smiled and ran after his companions. _She really is nicer than I gave her credit for…_

* * *

A/N: And there we go! I hope I did alright. I had a hard time typing with Tear, but for some reason Luke came very easy to me… ;shrug; Oh well. Imagining a younger Tear cutting the hair of the little girls in Yulia City is a very cute mental image. I suggest you try using it when you feel emo-Luke-ish. ;big grin;

Please leave a review!

Digital-Dragon-Master


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